The Light
by KinglyWrite
Summary: Harry Potter comes out of hiding and enters Hogwarts as a sixth year. How will the dark answer the light's call for war? AU! Good!Dumbledore Powerful!Harry Fleur/Harry
1. Chapter 1

**This is my newest fanfic and I hope all of you enjoy. This is very much an AU story with a lot of changes. The pairing will be Fleur/Harry but don't expect it to happen in the next few chapters, it will take time. Harry is quite strong and well trained, but so too are the enemies he will face. Please favorite/follow/comment and I look forward to moving forward the story! Expect the story to end up being around 300k words.**

"Firs' years!" Hagrid's voice boomed over the entire platform. Students bustled around the station, finding their friends who had been lost to the crowd. Most of them headed towards the row of carriages being pulled by thin, deathly looking horses who watched on with red eyes. The sight of thestrals unnerved Harry, knowing full what it meant that he could see them.

Harry pushed the thought of death out of his mind as he started his walk towards those carriages alone. As he walked, he looked around in wonder at the beauty of his surroundings. He was used to beautiful sights, having travelled much of the world in his younger years, but something about this castle was truly unlike any other place. It was probably that it felt so familiar to him. He had been raised on stories of this wondrous castle and everyone who resided within her halls. His parents, his godfather, his mentor, they had all spent considerable time here and now he was soon to be a part of it as well.

Harry stepped up to one of the carriages and climbed in. Inside there were already several others who only glanced at him before returning back to their conversations. "Honestly Ronald, I can't believe you'd be so dense to believe your brothers' stories." One of girls said. She had long brown hair that was an impossible mess and in her arms was a book on potions. She looked at the redhead across from her as if he were a brainless dolt, but there was a hidden tease to her voice.

The redhead smiled, seemingly in on the game she was playing. "He's going to be here. Why would Fred and George lie." Harry instantly recognized the redhead. He was gangly with freckled and impossibly bright hair. A Weasley, and his brothers Fred and George were the infamous twins that Dumbledore occasionally talked about fondly.

"Harry Potter doesn't exist." The young woman said. She was twisting her hair between two fingers and glanced back at him, offering a kind smile. Harry returned it, but said nothing.

"He does too!" Ron said. "And when he is put into Gryffindor, he will surely need someone to show him around the castle."

"Why would he want you to show him around the castle? Why would he need anyone to show him around? He's Harry Potter!" Another girl said from right beside Ron. This girl also had bright red hair and freckles which covered her face. She was quite beautiful Harry found himself thinking.

"He does exist Hermione." Another boy said from beside the brunette. Harry slightly leaned forward to catch a glimpse of the boy. He was tall, but still showed signs of baby fat on his cheeks and stomach. In his hands was an odd prickly plant which he took great care in holding. "My parents were best friends with his." Harry's eyes widened at the sight of Neville. He had seen pictures of him when he was eleven, attending Hogwarts for the first time. It seemed the years had done the pudgy boy kindly. He was soon to grow out of his baby fat which would leave a good-looking man.

Hermione scoffed, "I've heard the tale countless times. A dark lord defeated by a baby? It's a very tragic story, but I don't believe it to be likely."

"Likely?" Ron asked. "What do you suppose happened then?"

"I heard that the Dark Lord is just biding his time, waiting for Dumbledore to die." Everyone turned to look at Harry with raised eyebrows. "Sorry. Continue." Harry said quickly.

"No, I agree with him." Hermione said. "He was clearly afraid of having to face Dumbledore and now he is waiting." She turned back to look at him. "Who are you? I don't recognize you and you don't have any house colors on your robes."

Harry looked down at his robes. They were trimmed with grey rather than one of the four colors of the houses. "Oh." Harry said. "I'm new. A transfer student from…homeschool I guess." He finished with furrowed eyebrows. None of them seemed to put two and two together. He had to admit, compared to the descriptions he had heard of himself in pop-wizard culture, he wasn't sure he could put it together either. For one, he didn't wear glasses. Secondly, there was no lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. That had disappeared long ago thanks to Dumbledore. Thirdly, for some reason, whenever an artist drew him, they drew him with brown eyes instead of the green he had gotten from his mother. Harry had been told it was because many wizards felt it was impossible to inherit the traits of his mother, who was a muggleborn, when compared to his father who was regarded as a powerful wizard and a hero within the community. It was a shame, because on the night they both died, both had been heroes in their own way. Dumbledore simply told him that that was the way in which the world worked much of the time.

"Well, welcome to Hogwarts mate." Ron said. "Any idea what house you'll get sorted into? We rarely get transfers and its always interesting to see where they end up."

Harry shrugged, "I've heard good things about all of the houses." That part wasn't true. Sirius was quite biased against Slytherin, and even Mooney didn't have much to say in the defense of that house. Harry wasn't quite drawn to that house himself, after all, his family had almost always gone to Gryffindor and there was very good reason for it. The two houses had always sported a rivalry ever since their founding, a rivalry that has only intensified over the last several decades.

"Bah!" Ron spat. "There is nothing good from Slytherin. A bunch of conniving pricks they are."

"Ronald!" Hermione admonished him.

"What!" Ron said. "You know it's true Hermione. Nothing good has ever come out of that house." Hermione didn't disagree with him so Ron continued. "Gryffindor is where you should hope to go. Though I suppose Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff aren't all that bad."

Harry laughed, "I'll keep that in mind. I've heard that a hat sorts me. Is that true?"

Ron sported a wicked grin. "Sorry mate, no. A troll does the sorting. Right scary it is, but I'm sure you can handle it."

Harry knew the Weasley was trying to scare him, and Harry figured he'd play along to amuse him. He widened his eyes, "Really? How do eleven year olds handle a troll?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and the Weasley girl hid a smile behind her hand. "Magic, mate." Ron said as if it were some great punchline. "You do know how to do magic, right?"

"I do, but I don't know if I can fight a troll." Harry said, allowing some fear to creep through his voice. He could handle a troll, in fact he already had. A twisted prank by Sirius when he was twelve almost resorted in him being clubbed to death by a troll. Sirius hadn't been allowed to do anymore pranks since, by order of Dumbledore. The order was quickly torn up and cast aside, as was Sirius' way.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you. Better learn something quickly." Ron said through a smile that was threatening to burst into laughter.

"Hmm." Harry mumbled, falling silent as he pretended to ponder a way to defeat a troll. Using its own club came to mind, not that he needed anything to come to mind, but it did. The others quickly began to talk about the coming year, and the rumors that not only Harry Potter was coming out of hiding, but that Snape was to be taking the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

The thought made Harry frown. He had a dislike for the man. His dislike for him was well earned through many private tutor sessions in potions and the history of his dealings with Voldemort which eventually resulted in the death of his parents. Snape's overhearing of the prophecy was Dumbledore's greatest regret, and telling the prophecy to Voldemort was Snape's. Their regret did little to make Harry feel good about what had happened, but he pushed forward, as he was trained to do.

The carriage rolled to a stop and Harry clambered out first. He turned and helped Hermione down who blushed at his action, though he wasn't sure why. Sirius had taught him that it was the proper thing to do, and any girl he had been with had always appreciated the gesture. She mumbled a quick thank you and walked towards the castle. Harry performed the same action for Ginny who turned an even brighter shade of red and practically jogged to catch up to Hermione. Both Ron and Neville looked at him oddly when they hopped off, but neither said a word.

Harry stayed in the Entrance Hall and watched as they continued on into the Great Hall with the rest of the students. He stepped to the side and watched the many students walk in, none of them paying him any mind. He liked to watch and look around the hall. It was larger than he expected, with high vaulted ceilings and walls so long he thought it a hall for kings. Paintings were hung up on the walls and they moved around their frames with grace. Harry even saw a ghost move through the walls. It carried a water balloon and looked at the students with murderous intent.

"Mr. Potter." Harry turned to the voice and saw the familiar face of Minerva McGonagall. She gave him a soft smile as she approached. It was a rare look on the normally stern taskmaster of Hogwarts.

"Professor." Harry responded kindly. Behind her were a group of first years practically cowering at the sights they were looking upon. He wondered if he looked like them at some time. HE thought he probably did, but it was a long time ago, or at least it felt like it.

"Ready?" She asked. Harry nodded in response, though his nerves began to kick in as his stomach twisted and turned. He gritted his teeth and followed her out into the Great Hall. All of the eyes of the school were upon him as he followed Professor McGonagall up the middle aisle. In front of them was the professors table, some of them he already knew quite well. Dumbledore sat front and center, a soft smile on his face which did much to alleviate Harry's nerves. Professor Flitwick sat nearby, rocking in his seat in anticipation. Snape looked on with boredom, the normal look for the esteemed potions master.

Harry stopped at the front of the Great Hall. Behind him were the first years, using Harry as some sort of shield to keep from being seen by the professors who looked down on them all from their place at the staff table. In front of Harry was a small stool meant for first years, and upon it was an old hat.

McGonagall turned to face the entire hall and opened a parchment scroll which contained the lists of the first years. She began to call the first years up one by one, starting with a young girl with the last name of Bones. She had long, dark-red hair and was slightly on the chubbier side. Harry recognized the name, and knew her mother well. Amelia Bones was a fine witch who had taught him much about the Dark Arts.

McGonagall continued to call up names until she had worked her way through the entire list, leaving only Harry left alone in front of everyone. He could feel all of the student's eyes on the back of his head and it made him even more nervous. Before McGonagall read off his name, she gave him an encouraging smile and a small nod, asking again if he was ready. Harry took a deep breath, then returned the small nod.

"Harry Potter!" She read loudly to the entire hall. Harry immediately stepped forward on shaking legs, but as he walked up to the stool, his legs found greater strength. All around him he could hear the beginnings of whispers and gasps of surprise and excitement. When Harry turned to face the school, and sat on the stool, his eyes quickly glanced to where Ron sat. He was talking quickly to Hermione who looked on with a dropped jaw.

McGonagall placed the sorting hat on his head and at once he began to feel something stir within his mind. Harry knew it was the magic of the hat beginning to quickly sort through all the memories of his life. Dumbledore had warned him of this.

"Very interesting." A voice rang through Harry's head. It was rough and sinister sounding, which sent a shiver down Harry's spine. "An interesting young life you have led Harry Potter. I can see greatness in you. Yes." The hat said. Harry allowed his mind to be open, letting the hat get the best read of him as possible. Dumbledore had suggested to allow his occlumency walls to fall for this moment. "Greatness indeed. Hmm." The hate grumbled. "Where to sort you is a difficult question. I can see you thriving in every house, yes."

Harry waited patiently on the uncomfortable stool while the rest of the hall waited on him. It had already been far longer for him than any of the first years before him. Most of the new students had only sat on the stool for a few seconds, but Harry was verging on several minutes.

"I see the darkness that once festered in your mind. I can see it still, a piece of it impossible to fully destroy." Harry felt his heart thump at the hat's words. What did he mean? Dumbledore had destroyed the horcrux many years ago when he was just a baby. "The horcrux is destroyed, yes." The hat answered his thoughts. "But nothing is every truly destroyed. Part of it will always reside within you, the consequence of such dark magic. Hmmm." The hat trailed off.

It took everything in Harry's power to not show any fear or nervousness on his face. Only the slight twitch in his leg would clue anyone to how he was feeling on the stool. It was a movement that Dumbledore recognized and he leaned forward in his chair, looking more closely at Harry.

"The task before you is difficult. Much has been set in place for you to succeed, but the enemy has not been idle. He will come for you, and I shall help you the best I can in your task." The hat said. Silence ensued in Harry's head as he tried to understand the hat's words. Suddenly a loud roar came from the hat. "Gryffindor!" It shouted out.

The Gryffindor table erupted into cheers and applause while the rest of the hall looked on in surprise. Harry bounced off the stool and handed the hat to McGonagall who looked thrilled to have him in her house. Harry chanced a look at Flitwick who was smiling but he was finding it difficult to hide his disappointment.

Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table where a number of students fought to get him to sit with them. He moved further down the table until he reached Ron and Hermione. Ron quickly made room for him and Harry gladly sat down. "I could use a guide around the school." Harry said to Hermione with a grin.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry awoke the next day feeling nervous, yet excited to start his schooling at Hogwarts. He would only be here for two years, starting with his sixth year, but that didn't dampen his excitement. Two years was enough for him. He had been told by his various tutors that he was already well beyond what sixth and seventh years were taught, but learning was not why he was here. He was here to make friends and allies for the coming storm that was soon to hit England.

He would be needed in many ways when that storm hit, and Harry wasn't sure he was ready. He had been trained for this singular storm his entire life, but still he was unsure if he was ready to brace it. He did his best to put that thought out of his mind, but it always found a way to creep back in and sour his day.

Harry pushed himself out of bed and his bare feet connected with the cold floor. He hissed at the feeling and quickly found his clothes to throw on. The sun was just beginning to rise which meant there was still a few hours before class. He slowly moved around the dorm room, making sure he didn't wake up his new dormmates. They had asked him hundreds of questions last night until his head began to swim and demand rest. Still, there were many more questions they could ask him which made him eager to leave before they awoke.

Harry walked down to the common room where he found Hermione sitting on the couch in front of a smoldering fire. She turned abruptly to the noise of his footsteps coming down the stairs. "Hello." Harry said awkwardly. It was just the two of them in the common room. He wondered why she was up so early, or if this was normal for her.

"Hello." She responded just as awkwardly as him.

Harry walked over and sat down in a nearby chair, relaxing back into it. She was caught between looking at him and a small book in her lap. "Hermione Granger, right?" Harry asked her eventually. She nodded her head. "I have heard you're the smartest witch in Hogwarts since Lily Evans."

Hermione fidgeted in her chair as her cheeks turned red. "I wouldn't say that. Everyone compares me to her. I've seen all the awards she won at school, but I haven't won any." She looked up briefly from her book. "You've heard of her?"

Harry laughed, "She's my mother." Hermione's eyes grew wide. "Haven't followed the stories of my past have you?" She shook her head. "It's okay. Not many of those stories are true anyways."

"What happened? After that night, I mean." Hermione asked quickly. She looked surprised at her own question which only made Harry chuckle more.

"My godfather took me away. He hid me from Voldemort's followers." Harry said. He noticed that she didn't flinch of the Dark Lord's name. "I obviously don't remember any of it, but I was told that I had moved around for many months before eventually settling down off the coast of Greece."

"I watched the Headmaster when your named was called. He didn't seem surprised that you were here." She paused for a moment and her eyebrows furrowed. "Neither did Professor McGonagall now that I think of it."

Harry nodded, "Smartest witch of our age." She chuckled which brought a smile to Harry's lips. He had spent so little time with other people his age, he forgot what it felt like. Most of the girls he had been around were far too inside their own world to ever get a word in. It didn't help that he couldn't be himself around them either, always sticking to false names. "Dumbledore helped to hide me. Professor McGonagall tutored me in Transfiguration from a young age, as well as Professor Flitwick in dueling and charms. Snape helped me in potions and my godfather taught me Dark Arts. Though this is my first time at Hogwarts, my schooling has been thorough."

Her eyes widened at the amount of names Harry told her. She was hardly expecting him to have been personally taught by the many teachers she had come to respect and want to be upon older age. Part of her felt jealous at the notion that it was him who received such schooling and not her. She forced the thought out of her head. It wasn't her parents that had been murdered, it wasn't her that had been forced on the run at one year's old.

"You've mentioned him twice now. Who is your godfather?" She asked.

Harry leaned forward in his chair and looked around, making sure there weren't any others. "Are you good at keeping secrets, Miss Granger?"

"I-I don't know." She stammered, not expecting his question. "I suppose so."

He smiled at her and leaned back, satisfied with the answer. "Sirius Black." Her eyes widened as he suspected they would. "He isn't the mass murderer like others try and portray him as." It wasn't actually a secret Harry cared to keep, just one he thought might avalanche to something more once Hermione told someone of it.

"He raised you? But he is…" Her voice trailed off and her eyes went distant. They refocused quickly, "Why doesn't he clear his name?"

Harry laughed, "Justice in this world is far more difficult to obtain."

"But surely-" She began.

"It isn't a big deal. If you knew my godfather, you'd realize why." Harry cut her off. She didn't seem convinced but she didn't say anything in return.

Harry stood up and held his hand out to Hermione. She looked at it confusedly. "Come on. You owe me a quick tour of the castle, and seeing as we're the only one's up, we may as well do it now."

She hesitated a moment before closing her book and placing it on the table in front of her. She took his hand and stood up. Harry grinned at her and dropped her hand as he headed for the door. "Where do you want to start?" She responded with a smile of her own. Harry walked out of the door and onto the Grand Staircase.

He looked around. "How about the Quidditch Pitch. I've been told there is one. Do you like to fly?" He asked her.

She shook her head and a tinge of red came across her cheeks. "No, I'm afraid of heights."

"Hmm." Harry grunted. She began to lead him down the staircase. "That's a shame. I've never felt more free while in the air. Is your thing books? I think every time I've seen you, you have had a book in your hands."

She blushed even more. "My friends joke that the library is my favorite place in the school."

Harry chuckled, "Well, is it?"

She looked at him. "Is what?"

"The library your favorite place? Nothing wrong with that." Harry said earnestly.

She stayed quiet for a moment. They continued down the staircase, passing by the third and then the second floor hallways. Soon they were to reach the Entrance Hall. "I guess so." She shrugged eventually. "is Quidditch your favorite thing?" She asked after stepping onto the landing and walking passed the Great Hall doors. Both of them glanced inside and found the hall to be empty. They hadn't run into anyone along the way either. It was like the two of them were the only ones awake in the entire castle.

Harry shrugged. "I guess so." Both of them laughed as they stepped out into the refreshing morning air. The sun was beginning its climb into the sky, and the golden light reflected brilliantly off the Black Lake. The scenery around them was truly something to behold. He could easily get used to living here for a while, just as his parents had once done. The thought of walking the same grounds they had sent a calm wave through him. For once he felt at home.

They walked near the forbidden Forest, watching the forest for any small thing that scurried between bushes and dead leaves. She told him of the time Hagrid had taken her and Ron out here for detention, how they had run into a pack of centaurs who roamed these woods. As they continued on, she began to tell him of the Quidditch games, how Gryffindor had been the best team the last several years. Ron was the captain and the keeper of the team, Ginny Weasley, his younger sister whom Harry had met in the carriage last night, was a star seeker. She talked with a smile on her face and a calmness in her voice which put Harry greatly at ease as they walked together beside the trees.

They eventually made it to the Quidditch Pitch which stood proud against the hills just behind it. To the other side of the Pitch was a large grass field where Hermione explained had once been a maze for the TriWizard Tournament. Harry had heard of it. Dumbledore told him all about the old Tournament which had been brought back. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang had graced Hogwart's halls for the year and three students competed against one another. Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour if he remembered correctly, as well as a Hufflepuff named Cedric Diggory. Cedric had eventually won after some questionable things happened inside the maze which resulted in Fleur being knocked unconscious and Viktor being imperioused. There was much speculation if Cedric had won unfairly, but simply put, there were virtually no rules in the competition, and so Cedric was given the trophy.

Harry had lost track of what Hermione had been saying when he was brought back into the conversation by a name. "Fleur works in England now, last time I heard. I think she's dating Bill, Ron's older brother."

"What's that?" Harry asked. He had met Fleur once when he was much smaller. He remembered having a crush on the older, French witch. But who could blame him. He was young and she was part veela. They had only spoken briefly at an art gala in Marseille. Sirius had introduced him to Sebastien Delacour, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, France, and a good friend of Sirius' since before he became a suspected murderer. Sebastien's family had accompanied him to the gala and he could still remember the first time he laid eyes on the part veela. It wasn't every day you got to meet a veela, and the books he had read about them definitely didn't do them justice.

"Bill Weasley?" Harry asked after a quick moment.

Hermione nodded. "I think so. At least that was what Ron was bragging about on the train. Small world, huh?"

"Small world." Harry mumbled. They fell silent for a moment before Harry glanced around and realized it was nearing breakfast. "We should probably head back. We've been out quite a while now."

Hermione realized they probably had been out too long as well. They began their walk back to the castle. They passed by the greenhouses along the way where Hermione told him of the mandrakes they had harvested her second year, and in the same year a basilisk had attacked the school. Dumbledore had told him of this as well. It was another attempt by Voldemort to regain his power, one that Dumbledore stopped from happening. The Chamber of Secrets was real, hidden in a girl's bathroom of all places. The thought made Harry appreciate Slytherin's cunning even more.

"Being frozen like that was one of the worst things I've ever experienced." Hermione said.

"You were petrified?" Harry asked.

"Not for long. The school had already been brewing the antidote. But it was uncomfortable nonetheless." She said somewhat cheerfully.

"That must have been scary." Harry said. They were nearing the Entrance Hall now, and Harry could begin to hear sounds from inside as students had woken up hungry and were looking to the Great Hall for comfort.

Hermione laughed. "It wasn't as bad as waking up at the bottom of the Black Lake. I still can't believe Viktor had chosen me for that task." Harry looked at her confusedly, so she continued describing the second task of the TriWizard tournament. They walked into the Entrance Hall and immediately made for the Great Hall. Many students were giving them odd looks as they walked in, none of which Hermione had noticed as she continued to talk. Harry was however, very aware of the strange looks, mostly those from Gryffindor table and Ron in particular.

They walked over and took their places beside Ron and opposite Ginny and Neville. "Where were you two?" Ron asked quickly. Harry could easily detect a hint of jealousy in his voice, something everyone else could detect as well.

"I was showing Harry around the castle as he had asked me to and we were the only one's up." Hermione said. Harry let her handle the small situation since she knew him better than probably anyone in this school. It was clear from the times she mentioned Ron in their conversations that there was something there and he wasn't going to try anything to ruin it.

Ron grunted and turned back to piling food onto his plate. Harry took it as sign he was satisfied enough with the answer. "Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall walked up to him with a folded piece of parchment. Harry noticed that it was the same parchment that many others had in their hands. She handed him it, then handed a similar piece of parchment to Hermione.

"Thank you, professor." Harry said absently as he unfolded the parchment and began to read. "Not as bad as I thought." He murmured to himself.

"What was that?" Ginny asked him. She seemed quite interested in his classes. When Harry looked up, he noticed that a great deal of people around him were interested in what classes he was taking.

"Oh, um." Harry began, not having expected his classes to be a hot discussion amongst the students. "I'm just taking the core classes." He honestly didn't know how many classes Dumbledore was enrolling him in. It seems Dumbledore was merciful with him and enrolled him in the bare minimum.

"Just the core classes?" Ron asked. "Why can't I do that?"

"Because Ronald, those classes look good once you're out of school." Hermione said.

Ron rolled his eyes. "If Harry Potter doesn't need them, I don't need them." He made to stand up and talk to Professor McGonagall but Hermione shoved him back into his seat with considerable strength. "You will take them, or I'll send a letter to your mother."

Ron's eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

"No, but I definitely would." Ginny laughed. Ron cursed under his breath and went back to eating. The bell to sound the start of classes rang through the castle. Students began to stand up from their tables and head out the door. Harry had charms first thing in the morning with the rest of the sixth years who had qualified for it. Harry had already tested out charms, already having a passing N.E.W.T. in the class, but he wasn't here to learn of course. The students around him were why he was here, and more importantly, the students who sat in green and silver on the far side of the room. _They_ were why he was here. His eyes briefly caught the back of a pale blonde boy walking out with a large group of other Slytherin's. It was going to be an interesting year here at Hogwarts.

 **Thank you to everyone who has comment/favorited/and followed so far.**


	3. Chapter 3

Harry walked into the Transfiguration classroom and sat near the front. The desks were arranged in an odd L that created a large floor space for Professor Flitwick. The professor was seated on a tall stool in the middle of the floor with a large blackboard behind him. He looked positively dwarfed by the size of the blackboard almost making for a comical scene. Flitwick smiled at Harry as he walked in, and he returned the smile as he sat down.

Hermione sat down next to him, with Ron on her other side. Harry could quickly get used to something like this. He had grown accustomed to not having friends his age and he never thought it was something he would like. But now that he sat here, he could see why children were always encouraged to find friends. There was a familiarity and comfortability it provided. A small smile crested his lips as he relaxed back into the chair.

Another bell sounded across the castle which signaled the start of classes. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat before hopping off the stool and onto the floor. Even the stool he sat on was taller than him. Harry wanted to laugh, knowing Flitwick well and that his height, or lack of it, never bothered the always cheerful mentor.

"Welcome to sixth year charms. Congratulations to everyone who tested into the advanced class." Professor Flitwick started. He began to pace around the room. Harry glanced over the class, looking at all of the students who had joined them. Almost the entire sixth year Ravenclaw class was here, as well as most Hufflepuff's, and Gryffindor's. Draco Malfoy was present, as well as a blonde girl with bright blue eyes he didn't recognize, and a larger girl with short brown hair and hazel eyes. They sat next to one another and away from Draco which was odd. The Slytherin was supposed to be the 'prince' of that house. Harry found himself wondering who the blonde was that defied Malfoy.

"I am very glad to see that-" Professor Flitwick was interrupted by the classroom door suddenly opening. Headmaster Dumbledore peaked his head through the crack and looked around, his long beard swaying under his head.

"I'm very sorry, my dear friend." Dumbledore said in an apologetic voice. He continued to look around the classroom until his pale blue eyes found Harry. "I need to borrow Mr. Potter for a moment." Harry began to stand up at once.

"Of course, Headmaster." Flitwick said. "Harry." He nodded his head in Harry's direction, giving him permission to leave. Harry had already been moving however and was quickly at the door. He knew full well why he was being pulled out of class so quickly. An amused smile crossed his lips, the same smile Dumbledore was wearing.

Harry stepped out into the hall and Dumbledore shut the door behind him. "Is he here?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore chuckled, "The minister can be a very predictable man." Dumbledore began to walk towards the Grand Staircase and Harry followed. "He is in my office with Rita Skeeter."

Harry's face soured at the mention of her name. "The reporter that has long thought I had been kidnapped as a baby and have grown up in a succubus colony?"

"The very same." He then turned to look at Harry over his half-moon spectacles. "I expect you to be on your best behavior in front of her. She will try and twist any and every word she can to her own advantage."

Harry nodded. "I'll be careful." Dumbledore continued to look at him a moment longer. "I promise." Harry finished. Dumbledore nodded and they both fell silent as they continued through the castle. They quickly reached the Headmaster's office after taking a shortcut which moved them up several stories with only a few steps. Harry took a mental note of the statue and its position, thinking it would be a useful thing to know later on.

The stone gargoyle that stood watch over the entrance to the Headmaster's office moved to the side at the sight of Dumbledore and the two of them walked up a short spiral staircase until reaching a door. Dumbledore pushed it open and walked in, Harry following him.

Immediately upon entering the room there was a bright a flash which forced Harry to shield his eyes. "Harry Potter!" A woman exclaimed. "He walks into the Headmaster's office the bright hero of England. A dashing young man that is sure to set alight the hearts of women all over the world." Harry reopened his eyes to see Rita Skeeter talking aloud, as if to herself. Next to her however was a quill writing down everything that she was saying. "How does it feel to be home Harry?" She asked quickly.

"Er, fine." Harry said, walking further into the room. His eyes found Cornelius Fudge who had a sinister grin on his reddened face, like seeing Harry was the answer to all of his political troubles. The minister had had some trouble recently. He was choosing to not take a side in the affairs of Death Eaters. The recent talks of Death Eater activity were beginning to put people on edge, but Fudge's pockets were lined with Death Eater gold making it impossible for him to say a thing about it.

Fudge walked up to him and held out his pudgy hand, which Harry shook. Again, a brilliant flash of light blinded the room as another picture was taken. "Welcome home, Mr. Potter. I am thrilled to finally meet you." He said with a fake enthusiasm. "I never really believed the stories that you had died that evening. It just didn't sit right with me."

"Is that so?" Harry asked.

Minister Fudge dropped his hand and took off his bowler hat to scratch his balding head. "Indeed so, my boy!" He put his hat back on and slapped Harry on the shoulder. "All of England will want to greet its hero for the first time of course! To see you alive nearly brings a tear to my eye! And you just showed up at Hogwarts, how unbelievable! Another tale to add to your many I'm sure."

"Another of many." Harry repeated, putting on a false smile. He glanced to Dumbledore who stood in the back of the office, stroking Fawkes' feathers.

"So, tell me Harry. What happened after that night?" Fudge asked, getting right to the point of his reason for being here.

Harry glanced to Dumbledore who nodded for him to tell his story. He then began to tell of the events of how he was taken to safety and put into hiding by Remus Lupin who had been taking care of him since. Harry left out Sirius' involvement altogether. That was for another time. He would occasionally glance to Rita Skeeter's quill which was furiously writing away on a stack of parchment. Half the things that quill were downright lies, the other half were partial truths. He ignored it as best he could.

"And you never told me a thing?" Fudge asked Dumbledore with raised eyebrows.

Dumbledore stepped behind his desk and sat down. "I was concerned about the infiltration of the ministry by Death Eaters at the time. And by the time you had ridden us of that problem, Harry had grown used to Remus and his new home and I did not have the strength to pull him from it."

Fudge was pleased enough with the compliment provided him by Dumbledore that he didn't question further. He was predictable indeed. "Harry, my readers will want to know, how does England compare to the many places you have travelled? Is England still your home?" Rita asked.

Harry pondered for a moment. He enjoyed his time in Greece. If there was one thing he loved Greece for was its weather, but there was a homely feeling to England, he had to admit. This castle, these halls, the students, and professors, they brought about the feeling of home in such a short amount of time that Greece had never given him.

Harry eventually nodded his head. "This is my home and I'm glad to be back." Harry ignored that the quill had written down that he said England was the most beautiful place he had been too. That title was earned by the Himalayas, Harry thought to himself.

"And why come back now?" She continued to question.

Dumbledore spoke up to answer the question. "I felt it best that Harry be reacquainted with wizards and witches his age. The danger of the Death Eaters had passed and Hogwarts is as safe a place as any for him." It wasn't the real reason why he was here, but no one could know Dumbledore's plan for him. Not even the Order knew of their plan, or that Harry was even alive. Only a select few trusted individuals knew he was alive and his whereabouts. This was a shock for them, just as it was for the rest of the wizarding community. The only person they didn't fool was Voldemort who knew he was still alive, just as they knew he was still alive, waiting as they were.

The interview continued on for some time and Harry quickly found himself becoming bored of it. It was difficult to hold his temper in front of Rita Skeeter who would ask leading questions, and other questions that weren't of any real importance. What was his favorite hair color on a girl? Did he have any girlfriends in the past? Now? How many witches is he taking to the Ministry ball with him?

Harry had been invited by the ministry to the annual winter ball. Already Fudge was planning on awarding Harry with a medal for 'defeating' Voldemort. Harry fought to roll his eyes at that, but he instead smiled and accepted the invitation as Dumbledore had demanded of him. The last thing he wanted was to be offered an award, an award for a horrific event that cost the lives of both of his parents. Harry simply gritted his teeth through the rest of the interviews.

Eventually it came to an end and Harry let out a breath of relief as soon as Rita Skeeter and Minister Fudge had left through the floo. "That wasn't so bad." Dumbledore said, relaxing back into his chair with a small smile on his face.

"I don't know how you do this." Harry groaned out. He ran a hand through his messy hair in frustration.

"You will get used to it. The questions will be the same through your entire life. You'll become good at answering them." Dumbledore said. Silence fell over them for a moment. Only the sound of Dumbledore's odd trinkets whizzed and Fawkes hummed softly to himself. "I believe you have potions soon."

Harry let out another groan and stood up. "He is a bit annoying."

"He is also your professor." Dumbledore said. "Though I do confess that he wears on my patience from time to time. But we need him here."

Harry nodded in understanding. "I'll get it from him." Harry said as he left the office. Professor Slughorn was a troublesome man whom they found posing as an old stained-chair in a ruined house. He was hiding from the Death Eaters he feared would come for him. Despite bringing him to Hogwarts, the professor still hadn't given them the information that they were seeking. It would take some time before he would hand over memories of a very sensitive moment in his life.

Harry stepped back out into the hall, dodging several students who were rushing by to get to their next classes. Harry hurried down to the potions lab in the dungeons and found Hermione sitting with Neville. Ron had a seat open which Harry took.

"Here, Harry." Hermione said from behind him. She handed him his bag of books which he had left in the charms class.

"Thanks Hermione." Harry said, taking the bag from her.

"What was that about?" She asked him. Class hadn't yet started and Professor Slughorn was nowhere to be seen.

"A visit from the minister." Harry said, earning several eyebrow raises from those who overheard him.

"What did he want?" Hermione prodded further. Harry knew Hermione well-enough already to know she wouldn't stop until all of her questions had been answered. But Harry could be patient and not tell whole-truths. It was a trait he picked up from Dumbledore.

Harry shrugged and began to pull out his potions book. "To welcome me back to England, I guess."

"You shouldn't speak with filth far below you, Harry." Draco said, walking up to him from the far side of the room. Harry turned in his seat to look at the tall, blonde prince of Slytherin. A dark-haired girl stood just behind him with her arms crossed over her flat chest.

"Filth below me?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows in a questioning manner. He knew what play Draco was going with, he was just surprised this was how Draco would approach their first conversation. From his first words, it was clear he had not inherited his father's political tact.

"You are above mudbloods and blood traitors like Weasleys. You should be with me. We purebloods are far superior to them." He looked at Hermione and Ron with disgust. Harry thought it was a shame that Draco had taken after his father, but he didn't blame him.

"I think you're forgetting who my mother was." Harry said.

Draco waved it off like it was nothing. "A simple mistake by your father. The sins of the father and all." He held out his hand for Harry to shake. It was a gesture Harry knew very well that would set the tone for the next year.

He smiled and looked at Draco's outstretched hand for a moment. Everyone around them was watching carefully, and in the corner of Harry's eyes he also saw Professor Slughorn watching with equal interest. His eyes then glanced back to Hermione as shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Ron was red-faced and looked ready to say something against Draco.

"Tell your father he should polish his mask." Draco's already pale face became even more pale at Harry's words. He withdrew his hand and stared in shock at Harry for a moment before quietly walking back to his desk. Everyone looked on confused at what Harry's words meant. Only Ron seemed to know what Harry had just inferred and had a large grin on his face.

Professor Slughorn chose that moment to make himself known. Draco didn't look at Harry for the rest of class and stayed silent despite his girlfriend constantly asking him questions. Harry ignored the odd looks he received and knew there would be further questions once outside of class. He instead listened intensively to Slughorn, hoping he could find a way to enter that man's mind without force. With how skittish the man was, it would prove a difficult task.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry walked into the Headmasters office. It had been a long day full of questions, and the day was only about to get longer. This was the part he was least looking forward to, but Dumbledore had deemed it necessary to move forward. The only consolation was seeing Sirius and Remus.

Word had quickly spread through the school about his first words with Draco and the implication behind them. Ron had gladly explained to everyone he could what Harry meant by his words. Draco hadn't so much as looked at him since potions class and he didn't expect the 'prince' to do so until his father had further instructed him. It was clear Lucius had been behind their first meeting, but Draco didn't have the wit to mince words with him. Coming from such a hard place, condemning his father and mother in a single sentence was a bad start and Harry wasn't going to allow him off the hook.

Hermione had been the most curious to learn where he was coming, in regards to Lucius. She had of course heard old rumors about the Malfoy's and their ties to Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but she had always chalked them up as just rumors. Lucius was never convicted of anything after the end of the last war, and that had been enough evidence for her. But after she had learned from Harry that Sirius might not be guilty like the ministry was saying, she was more open to the idea that Lucius was not so innocent like he was saying. It was interesting to watch the wheels in her head turn, Harry found.

What wasn't so interesting was the Daily Prophet article that had come out about him in the evening, just in time for dinner in the Great Hall. Owls had flooded into the hall, dropping packages and letters, and newspapers. Rita Skeeter had taken full advantage of the answers he gave her in the interview this morning, much to his annoyance. It was to be expected, but it didn't stop him from disliking the reporter even more.

"Are you ready, Harry?" Dumbledore asked him from across the room. He was standing in front of a roaring green fire, wearing bright purple robes that shimmered with each movement.

Harry walked over to the fireplace. His eyes caught a glance of the Daily Prophet on the Headmaster's desk, the headline running, "A Hero Returns!". He scrunched his nose at it and turned back to Dumbledore who watched him carefully.

"Ready." Harry said after taking a breath.

Dumbledore nodded his head and stepped into the flames. "12 Grimmauld Place." He said calmly. A quick flash of green fire and Dumbledore disappeared completely.

Fawkes trilled from his perch and Harry looked at the magnificent bird. "Sometimes, Fawkes." Harry breathed out, shaking his head. He stepped into the green flames. "12 Grimmauld Place." His vision began to blur and twist and shift. He was being pulled through space at a magnificent rate. His stomach lurched and tumbled with each movement and it felt like he was falling through time itself.

Suddenly, a room materialized and Harry took a confident step forward onto hardwood flooring. He looked around and found himself in an old, dusty room filled with cobwebs. It was barely lit, only a few gas lamps barely hanging on the walls provided any light. The walls themselves were half-eaten by termites and looked ready to collapse at any moment.

"Harry!" He turned to see Sirius walking up to him. They embraced one another warmly. It was good to see him again, though it had only been a few days, they were the first few days he had ever spent apart from his godfather.

"How has school been?" Sirius asked, stepping backwards. He looked Harry up and down as if he hadn't seen him in a great many years.

"It's been a single day of classes, Sirius." Harry said, a smile stretching on his face. "It's hardly worth talking about since I didn't even attend one of them."

"I saw the article." Sirius said. "An interesting read to say the least. She really does love to run with her quotes."

Harry felt a strong pair of hands grasp his shoulders. Harry turned to see Remus behind him. The two embraced as warmly as Harry had with Sirius. It felt good to be with them again. They were the most abnormal family imaginable, but they were family and they made it work. Harry couldn't think of a better way to grow up.

"I don't think she captured my cheerful persona all that well." Harry said with a grin. Rita had referred to him as an 'Icey god' who kept a calm demeanor no matter what questions were thrown at him. She said 'he talked to her with the grace and courage of the greatest of wizards'. Harry didn't think that part of the article was too bad, though he was unsure what an 'Icey god' would look like.

Sirius and Remus laughed. "No, I don't think so either." Remus said.

Dumbledore was standing off to the side, watching them with a small smile. He had two options when Harry was just a baby. To leave him alone with the only blood family he had left, muggles who hated all things magic, or to allow Sirius to take him and raise him in a loving environment. In the end, the decision was easy for Dumbledore and he never looked back. There were many things he regretted in his long life, but when it came to Harry's childhood, he regretted none of it.

"Are they here?" Dumbledore asked Sirius and Remus.

"They're all here. Even Snivellus." Sirius said with mild disgust. The two of them had to tolerate one another over the years. It was like pulling teeth for the two, but they rose above their hate for one another when it came to Harry's future. Though they continued to hate one another, there was a mutual respect between them that had formed over time.

"Shall we then?" Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded his head, ready to get this over with. He had been answering questions all day and only had to suffer through a little more, this time from Dumbledore's Order.

Dumbledore then moved to the door on the far side of the living room they currently stood in and pressed it open. Harry could hear a great deal of voices coming from the room now. The voices stopped at once when they recognized Dumbledore had opened the door.

Dumbledore walked into the dining room where a large gathered group of people were sitting. Some were standing off to the side, there being too few seats for everyone to sit. Sirius and Remus followed the Headmaster while Harry walked in last after taking a deep breath to calm a flutter that ran through his stomach.

"You lied to us Dumbledore." A red-headed woman accused the Headmaster immediately. She was already out of her seat. Harry recognized her to be Molly Weasley. Next to her sat her husband, Arthur, who was much calmer but didn't even try and stop his wife from rising from her seat. Next to him was another redhead. He sported odd earing's and wore a dragonscale jacket. Harry could make out a tattoo which was barely covered by his jacket sleeve.

Harry's eyes went passed him and to the beautiful woman who sat next to him. Her long silver hair and bright blue eyes were impossible to mistake for any other woman. A soft glow danced around her which Harry knew to be her allure trying to draw him in. His eyes fell on hers for a moment and he was happy to see they widened in recognition of who he was. She remembered their first meeting in the south of France. The thought sent another flutter through his stomach, this time for a completely different reason. He knew she would be here, but he hardly expected her to recognize him.

His eyes broke away from hers as they continued to look around the table. He knew several of the members already. Moody stood in the corner of the room, glowering as usual. Kingsley stood next to him, smiling kindly at Harry as he always did, even when he was putting Harry on the floor during their dueling lessons. He continued on until he saw a young woman with bright pink hair. She was looking at him in a mischievous way, similar to how Sirius would look at him while in the middle of a prank. He could immediately sense a hint of danger from her.

"I didn't lie." Dumbledore said. He opened his mouth to continue but was cut off.

"Bah." This time it was Bill who spoke out. Harry's glance naturally went to him, but he found his eyes venturing back to Fleur who continued to stare at him with curiosity. The sight of her eyes on him sent a shiver down his spine.

"You may not have lied, but you definitely didn't tell the truth." Bill said, standing up with his mother.

"Who cares?" Moody spoke up. "Let's just get on with it." Forever the grumpy auror Harry laughed to himself.

"I care." A weasel of a man stood up. Harry immediately disliked the character of the man and wondered why he was even here. "How can we trust you if you don't share things as important as Potter being alive?"

There were several murmurings of approval from other members of the Order Harry didn't recognize. McGonagall and Flitwick sat next to one another. They were ignoring the conversation altogether and instead talking quietly to themselves.

"A fair question, Mundungus." Dumbledore said. "Harry's safety was paramount above all things. To ensure his safety, I was careful in letting anyone know his whereabouts."

"By how many people seem unsurprised by Harry's presence, you were quite liberal in telling of Harry's health." Molly Weasley said.

"I only told those that were necessary for Harry's safety." Dumbledore answered calmly. He was well prepared for the onslaught of questions this evening.

"And you felt it wasn't necessary for all of us to know?" Bill asked.

"Sit down, boy." Moody said. He was clearly annoyed at the moment. "You were just a boy that Halloween night. You only joined the Order a year ago and have no say in what you are told and aren't told." Bill sat down as Moody began to grill him. Luckily for the Weasley, Moody turned his wrath on everyone at the table. "Potter's life was more important than your feelings."

"Did anyone outside this room know of Harry?" Arthur asked. It was a fair question Harry thought and it did much to pacify the entire room. Moody went back to his corner, glaring at everyone.

"Two others, though I won't say their names." Dumbledore said. Harry knew who they were. Sebastien Delacour and Amelia Bones. They had worked hard to keep him off any ministry records and slow the pace in which Death Eaters tried to find his whereabouts. He owed them his life for the work they put in to keep him safe over the years.

Harry stayed quiet as he listened to the conversations continue on. Those who were mad at Dumbledore for never once disclosing that he was still alive, were the ones most adamant about being left in the dark. Now that he had come back from the dead, and was in the room with them, they chose to continue to argue rather than even talk to him. They simply ignored him, which Harry was fine with. It was better than being questioned himself.

"This is every meeting." Sirius whispered to him. "They just bicker over everything and nothing gets done."

"At least they're here." Harry responded. His eyes travelled around the table again, watching closely the people who were here. Bill was entrenched in an argument with Moody over the 'boy' comment from earlier. Snape looked ready to leave at any moment, and the other two professors simply sat quiet. Arthur sat in his chair, listening to Molly as she talked his ear off, pressuring him to stand up more. Remus was bobbing his head back and forth as he whistled a calming tune to himself.

His eyes then came to Fleur. She was still looking at him. Their eyes met and at once the both of them looked away. Harry felt the slightest tinge of heat in his cheeks. Harry then looked to Dumbledore who had grown quiet to let everyone else bicker and fight one another. He smiled softly at Harry.

"He should have grown up with a family, not been half-way around the world with…with him." Molly said, her words cutting over everyone else's. The entire room tensed up.

"I have a family." Harry said. Everyone's eyes turned to him. He didn't notice that Moody and Dumbledore shared a brief look with one another.

"I know you did dear." Molly said quickly. Harry caught the past tensed of her words.

"My family might not have my blood or my name, but they are still my family." Harry continued, his eyes focusing in on Molly. Everyone else began to feel a small hint of static electricity fill the room. "And neither are you my blood, if you were hinting that I should have grown up in your family." Harry paused for a moment before speaking again. "My family is unconventional; my childhood was scattered and abnormal, but that wasn't the fault of my parents, nor the fault of my godfather."

"I-I'm not say-" Molly began, trying to cut across him.

"I had a good upbringing and couldn't have asked for anything more. I am where I am now because of how I was raised. Do not question it, or those who raised me." Harry finished. Molly stared at him with wide eyes for a moment as silence fell over the room.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Harry." The woman with bright pink hair leaned over and held out her hand. "Tonks, at your service." Harry shook her hand and bowed his head slightly. Her gesture did much to alleviate the tension that had built up in the room.

"Well." Dumbledore said, once more making himself known. "Now that that is out of the way, I think we can begin."

Molly had finally recovered from her dazed state and looked bewildered once more at Dumbledore. "Why is he here? Isn't it a school night? And he is much too young to be part of the Order I think, Dumbledore." Harry gritted his teeth and let Dumbledore answer the string of questions. He had heard a lot about Molly Weasley and how she could be overbearing at times.

Dumbledore sat patiently for a moment. He never seemed fazed in these kinds of situations which always amazed Harry. "Potter is trained better than you lot." It was Moody that spoke up, catching everyone by surprise. It was rare for the grizzled auror to ever compliment anyone, but Harry had quickly become his most prized student. He saw Harry as his protégé, much the same way Dumbledore saw him as well. "He also has just as much right to be here as every one of you."

Molly made to open her mouth, but Arthur put a hand on her arm and slowly shook his head. "Anyways." Dumbledore began, a patient smile on his face. He drew the attention back towards him and away from Moody who went back to glaring in the corner. "It is time we stop guarding the object within the Department of Mysteries." Harry knew what the object was, the actual prophecy that described him as the destroyer of Voldemort. Only he could do it, not that he put much faith in prophecies anyways, but Riddle clearly did.

"Why now? We've been guarding some object in there for years?" Dedalus Diggle asked.

"The object that is hidden with the Department of Mysteries is no longer of use to us." Dumbledore answered him. In truth, Dumbledore wanted the object to be taken by Voldemort. Albus wanted him to know the entire prophecy to force him into action now that it was known to the world that Harry was still alive. He was hoping to bring Riddle from the shadows he had been hiding in.

"We also need to be putting our ears to the ground and figuring out any information we can on the Death Eaters that are beginning to form once more." Dumbledore said. Over the last several months, more and more Death Eaters had been sighted. They weren't attacking, simply showing their bone masks and throwing spells around until apparating away. The ministry had labeled them as pranks, but Dumbledore knew better. The Death Eaters were testing the populace, and trying to scare them again. Voldemort was once more coming into his power.

Several years ago, Harry had first learned that Voldemort had received a new body through a complex ritual. Nothing had happened for a year after hearing the news, but on Halloween night of all nights, the dark mark showed in England. Below the mark were two aurors who had had their souls sucked out of them by dementors. As far as Harry knew, the only person with any control over dementors was Voldemort. And two of them being so far south from Azkaban by themselves was out of the question. Ever since then, Harry's training had picked up in pace.

"Severus, I would like to speak with you." Snape was of course the most valuable member of the Order. He had confirmed that Voldemort was back, with a body no less, but he was weak. Harry continued to have his doubts as to what side Snape played for, but he kept his tongue and trusted Dumbledore's faith in the man.

The meeting quickly broke a part as Dumbledore and Snape left through the far door. Everyone else stood up and began to talk amongst themselves. "What exactly do the Order even do?" Harry asked. He had expected a lot more than just 'keeping one's ears to the ground.'

Both Remus and Sirius laughed. "That is all they do. That is all they can do." He then jerked his head towards the room. "Do they look like fighters to you?" Harry looked over the room, and he had to admit, Sirius was right. Only a small few in the group could be useful in a fight. Most were too old, others only knew what they had learned from school and nothing more. That wouldn't cut it with many of the Death Eaters who took great pleasure in learning darker, more advanced magic to torment their enemies with.

"You should get back to school, it is late." Remus said.

Harry rolled his eyes at the responsible parent in his life, but he nodded in agreement. "I'm sure it won't be long until I see you two again." Harry said with a small grin.

Sirius pulled Harry into a hug and Remus followed after. "Nope. You can't stay away from us for long." Harry chuckled as he walked out of the dining room and into the living room where green fire still danced, waiting to take him back to Hogwarts. Harry turned back around to say goodbye once more to Sirius and Remus, but neither had walked into the room with him. Instead, Fleur was walking through the door. Harry felt a wave of panic and butterflies through his stomach, but he did everything in his power to not let any of it show.

Harry couldn't think of anything else other than how beautiful she was. The green fire danced on her hair and in her eyes. Her lips were upturned slightly in a small smile, and she swayed gracefully into the room in an angelic way. The veela allure that surrounded her wasn't what drew him in. It was the way in which she looked at him. There was a playfulness in them, as if she had known him his entire life and they were longtime friends.

"You lied to me." Those were not the first words Harry imagined her saying to him. He was taken aback for a moment and she continued. "At ze gala."

Harry's mind eventually clicked as he remembered what she was referring to. It was difficult to think clearly with her around, and the way her blue eyes bored into him made things even more difficult. "I technically didn't lie. My godfather did." Her small smile widened, which caused a large one to form on his. "Did you honestly believe my name was Boris Namitsky?"

Fleur laughed, the sound of it like cheerful music which sent even more flutters through his stomach. "Non, I suppose not. I like 'Arry Potter more. Eet fits you." The door opened again and Bill walked into the room and both their smiles faded. He gave Harry an odd look before slipping his arm around Fleur's waist. "Eet was good to see you again, 'Arry."

She gave him a softer smile, a look he knew would be ingrained into his mind for many years to come. He smiled back, "It was good to see you as well, Fleur." He then turned and walked into the green fire. His world began to swirl and churn once more until his feet landed on solid ground. He walked out of the fireplace with a bounce in his step.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry yawned as he walked into the Great Hall. It had been a late night for him. He had stayed up to study a new book Dumbledore had given him last week. It was the personal diary of Julius Caesar. Harry found it an odd choice of book to give him, the famous general turned emperor being a muggle and all, but he read through it nonetheless. The further Harry began to read, the more he began to realize why Dumbledore wanted him to read it. Caesar was a brilliant commander because of his ability to think in unconventional ways to win battles. It was clear that Dumbledore wanted him to learn the same. He had been brought up his entire life on how wizards fought each other, how they waged war. Dumbledore wanted him to be something different. The battlefield didn't just apply to war however, but to politics as well. That was both Dumbledore and Caesar's greatest strength, their ability to use victory in battle to influence politics.

"A late night, Harry?" Hermione asked him as he sat down next to her. Every time Harry walked anywhere in the castle, everyone would turn to watch him. It was uncomfortable at first, but Harry quickly grew used to it.

"He was up reading all night." Ron said. "I don't know when he ever sleeps." It was true. Ever since he was young Harry found he didn't need much sleep to feel refreshed each day. A few hours here or there and he would be rearing to go.

"Well, maybe you should be reading more, Ronald." Hermione said. Ron simply rolled his eyes. It had been two weeks now since Harry had come to Hogwarts. In those two weeks, not much had happened. The classes were boring as Harry had been told they would be for him. As such, he began to bring his own reading material to occupy his time. Draco Malfoy had stayed away ever since their first encounter in potions class, but often he caught the blonde prince staring at him, his jawline tight as if seething with anger. Harry expected something to happen with him soon. There was something Harry wanted to know about Draco before the year continued.

As Harry began to pile food onto his plate, a beautiful snowy owl flew through an open window and glided down gracefully. It landed just in front of Harry. "She's beautiful." Hermione breathed out, gazing at the owl with wonder. "What's her name?"

"Don't tell her that." Harry said, but the bird had already puffed out her chest at the compliment. "Her name's Hedwig." Harry quickly untied the letter from her talon before the owl hopped over to Hermione. Hermione looked to Harry to ask if she could pet Hedwig and Harry nodded his okay. Hedwig looked pleased with herself as she drew attention from all over the Great Hall.

Harry was the only one not focused on the bird, and instead he was looking at the letter in his hands. He didn't recognize the handwriting, but the handwriting was clearly feminine. Harry opened the letter and his eyes widened at the name on the bottom.

 _I'm happy we got to see each other again after so long. I wasn't quite sure if I should write you, but I thought we could do a better job of keeping in touch now than after our first meeting. I know we didn't exactly speak once to each other during that gala, but I felt like we could have been friends at least and I hope you felt that way too. Meeting again through our mutual friends reminded me of the potential friendship and I wanted to reach out. I'm sure you're quite busy being you and all, but I hope you wanted to as well. I don't know the next time we will see each other, so I figured a letter would be the best option._

 _A beautiful snowy owl showed up to my window last evening. I had never seen her before, but she was clearly quite smart. She seemed to know I wanted to write you a letter and waited patiently for me. I know I'm rambling a bit and sound crazy. This letter is coming from nowhere, especially for someone like me. I just wanted to say again, that I was glad to see you, and learn your real name. I hope to hear from you again soon._

 _Your friend,_

 _Fleur_

Harry finished reading the letter then quickly began to reread it. The letter had nothing that should make him smile yet he couldn't keep a goofy grin off his face and everyone around him was looking at him strangely. It wasn't like the letter had said anything more than just wanting to keep in touch, but harry couldn't help but let his mind wander. Before anyone could read over his shoulder, he quickly folded the letter back up.

"Who was that from?" Hermione asked him.

"Just an old friend." Harry responded quickly. He stood up from the table and left the Great Hall in a hurry, leaving behind his plate of food. He didn't care that he hadn't eaten yet. He wasn't sure he could eat anyways with his stomach fluttering the way it was. Harry quickly ran back up to Gryffindor tower to get a quill and parchment to begin a reply to Fleur.

When he sat down on his bed and put the quill to parchment, his entire brain froze and he realized he had no clue as to what to write down. What was he supposed to say? She had a boyfriend in Bill, and she was quite a few years older than him. What was there to say? His hand began to shake as nothing came to mind and he slowly put down the quill, a frown forming on his face.

"It is a curious thing." Harry nearly jumped from his bed at the voice. Dumbledore was standing in the doorway in a flowing purple cloak.

"Headmaster?" Harry asked. Dumbledore walked further into the dorm room and sat down on Ron's messy bed. He didn't seem to mind the state of it. His blue eyes sparkled behind his glasses and he fixed Harry with a curious stare.

"I have told you of my past, Harry." Dumbledore began. His voice was distant and hollow, as if his mind wasn't really here, but in the memory that swirled through his brain. "When I close my eyes, I can see everything that plays out when I was young." Harry knew the story of Dumbledore's childhood. The story of him and Grindelwald. It didn't take Harry much time to figure out why Dumbledore was here. "An infatuation can be a dangerous thing."

"But-" Harry began. Fleur was not Grindelwald. And he had no chance with her, he knew that. Still, after seeing her last week, he couldn't keep his mind off her, and this last letter did nothing more than to make it more difficult to think about anything else.

Dumbledore held his hand up to cut Harry off from speaking. "I allowed you to come here knowing full well that something like this would happen." He had a small smile on his face, but it was almost sad. He looked old and tired Harry saw. He was nearing the end of his days, Harry knew, and the thought made him just as sad. Harry absently folded the letter back up.

"And I know Fleur is not Grindelwald." Dumbledore continued. "But for someone like you, especially someone like you, an infatuation I'm afraid is not something that can play out." Dumbledore paused for a moment. His face looked in pain, as if the words coming out of his mouth were torturous to say. Harry could feel the sorrow in him. "You are young, luckily. And you have time many years from now to pursue any infatuation that comes across your path."

"But I don't have time now." Harry finished for him. Deep down he knew Dumbledore was right. When the war broke, he would have no time to even think about anything that normal sixteen year old's thought about. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little angry over his life and how he had to be different. Sometimes he wanted to be normal, to have had none of these things happen to him.

Dumbledore nodded his head. "People will look to you, even if it's not fair for them to do so. When they do, they will expect you to make the best possible decisions for everyone, not yourself."

"And being tied with someone would complicate matters." Harry said.

"Yes, just as it did for me. And the decisions I made when I was young I continue to regret to this day." Dumbledore then stood up and walked over to Harry. He patted Harry on the shoulder softly and looked directly into his eyes. "I am very sorry your life has turned out this way. It is not how I would wish it, nor how your parents dreamed it. Great men sacrifice-"

"For the greater good." Harry finished the words Dumbledore had spoken many times before.

Dumbledore nodded again and moved back towards the door. "It took me many mistakes and a hundred years to learn what the greater good meant. I hope that one day, a hundred years from now when you are in my position that you will come to the conclusion that I was correct." His smile softened even more. "But if I wasn't, I trust you will learn what the greater good really is." He then turned and left, leaving Harry alone in the dorm room.

He sat on his bed thinking for a moment in silence. His hand still clutched to the letter in his hand, and his eyes moved down to look at it. He could see Fleur's writing on the front and even the sight of it made his heart flutter. He let the sadness that had built up in him dissipate slowly, and took deep breaths to calm his racing mind. It was rare he felt this way, but when he did, he thought it best to give himself a minute of peace before acting.

He sat there, more alone in that moment than he had felt in a long time. He took several deep breathes, staring at the letter in his hands. He closed his eyes for a moment and when he reopened them, his posture went rigid and his face steeled.

Harry tossed the letter to the ground, pulled his wand in a quick motion and without word, set fire to the letter. He watched as the letter crumpled from the heat and slowly turned to ash. As it did, he suddenly felt the full weight of the world on his shoulders. It took great strength for him to stand up from his bed.

The bell to start classes rang through the castle. Coming from the common room downstairs, Harry could begin to hear his classmates bustle about, getting ready for their morning class. Harry flicked his wand again and his bag of schoolbooks flew into his outstretched hand. He then walked over to the door, and with one last look to the ashes on the ground, he walked out.

"You ready, Harry?" Hermione was waiting for him in the common room with her book in hand. Harry walked down and put on a fake smile. The two of them walked out onto the Grand Staircase. Hermione was looking at him oddly as they walked, probably wondering who the letter was from, but she never asked.

They continued walking until reaching the transfiguration classroom. They took their seats near the front, with Ron and Neville sitting just behind them. Professor McGonagall sat in the front of the class behind her desk. As the bell rang and class begun, Harry pulled out his book and began to read to himself, tuning everything else out. He lost himself to his thoughts as the class went on and time flew by. No one bothered him until the bell rang and McGonagall dismissed them.

Harry grabbed his book and exited the class. "Potter!" Harry groaned at his name being called. He was not in the mood to deal with Malfoy at the moment. Nonetheless, Harry turned around to face him. Draco stood in front of a group of other Slytherins. Harry recognized a few, Theo Knot, Blaise Zabini, and Crabbe and Goyle. They were the Death Eaters son's in the sixth year Slytherin class. Instantly Harry knew it wasn't a good thing that they were all here, especially with Draco smirking the way he was.

"Yes?" Harry asked calmly. Hermione had turned around with him. Neville and Ron were just behind them and further off in the distance many more of their classmates had turned to watch. They were only a few feet outside the transfiguration classroom, so Harry figured not much could happen.

"I believe we got off on the wrong foot." Though Draco kept a smirk on his face, his jaw was tight as if in pain at the words he was saying. His father had probably sent quite a stern letter about what happened the last time they spoke. Harry wondered if this introduction was for Lucius, or Voldemort himself. If this was for Voldemort, then Harry needed to be sure.

"I think we have." Harry said. He held out his left hand for Draco to shake, keeping his right hand free. Draco looked genuinely surprised with the gesture. He stepped forward and shook Harry's hand, a taunting look coming over his face as he looked passed Harry and to Ron and Neville. Ron looked furious with what was happening and even Hermione had an unsure face.

Harry then tightened his grip on Draco's hand, and with a quick flick of his wrist, his wand was in hand. Before Draco could even try and pull back, Harry performed a severing charm on both of his sleeves, revealing his forearms underneath. Draco managed to yank his hand out of Harry's firm grasp, but Harry caught the glimpse of the Dark Mark on his forearm. The tattoo was dark and moving ever so slightly. The action was so quick, no one caught a glimpse of the tattoo other than Harry.

"What the hell Potter!" The dark-haired girl behind Draco said, Pansy Parkinson, Harry thought her name was. She stepped forward, drawing her own wand.

Harry gave Draco a sickly smile who stared at him in shock before quickly backing away, trying his best to cover his forearm. "You should be more careful, Draco." Harry said. Draco snarled and turned to run as panic of being caught with the mark took hold. Everyone looked at the Slytherin prince in confusion. Only Pansy knew why Draco was running away from the crowd of people, and thinking better of attacking Harry, she too left to chase after Draco. The other Slytherins then quickly followed them.

"What did you do that for?" Hermione asked him. Harry noticed that she had drawn her wand and was placing it back into her pocket.

"Who cares? That was brilliant! How are you so fast?" Ron exclaimed, coming up to slap him on the shoulder. "I barely even noticed you drew your wand before you cast a spell."

"A silent one at that." Neville said.

Harry simply shrugged and began to walk down the corridor. A great deal of students had stopped to watch the event unfold but were leaving disappointed when nothing major had happened. They had probably been hoping for an actual fight.

"I did it because he deserved it, nothing more." Harry said as they walked out onto the Grand Staircase. The flight of stairs nearest them switched positions to allow them to walk up. Harry had gathered the information he wanted. Voldemort was actively recruiting people within Hogwarts that weren't named Snape. How many of those cronies behind Draco were also given the mark?

The thought started to cross Harry's mind that the war wouldn't start outside these halls, but within them. The first battle in the newest wizarding war may have just started. It sent a shiver down Harry's spine.


	6. Chapter 6

"You can't be serious." Harry groaned out. He had just received a note from Dumbledore asking for his presence in the Headmaster's Office. It was the weekend and one of the few times Harry felt like he had actual peace in this castle. He had created a tradition for himself of jogging around the Black Lake every Saturday and Sunday. That was ruined now on this beautiful Sunday evening by Dumbledore's note, delivered by a frightened first year who was too scared to even hand him the note, instead tossing it into the air before running off. Why he was so scary to the first year, Harry couldn't figure out. Hermione had laughed beside him, saying that he could be intimidating at times.

Harry turned and trudged back up to the dorm room where the rest of his peers were already sleeping in their beds. They were the first one's up every morning, and the last to go to sleep. The both of them would relax by the fire and read the various books assigned to them. They had used the time to grow more accustomed to one another and had become fast friends. It wasn't a surprise to Harry. He had been told many times over now by Dumbledore and other professors that Hermione was in many ways just like Lily Potter.

Once making it into his dorm room, Harry threw on a change of casual clothes, taking off his running clothes. He changed quickly and walked back downstairs. Hermione was curled up in front of the fireplace, reading a book as she always was.

She looked at him as he made for the door. "All of your meetings with Dumbledore makes one suspect the two of you are up to no good." She said. Harry turned and saw a small smirk on her face.

Harry laughed. "I'm Harry Potter. I've been up to no good my whole life." He then turned back around and left through the portrait door.

"I'm becoming well aware of that." Hermione said quietly to herself.

Harry began his walk towards the Headmaster's office. He wasn't in a rush this morning, wanting to enjoy the peace and quiet of the castle as much as he could. A week had passed since he had set fire to Fleur's letter. He felt bad and desperately wanted to call to Hedwig to send a letter. But his idea of duty kept him in check. He had been brought up his whole life with the single idea that one day he would be the one take Dumbledore's role in the world. Any kind of relationship was a risk for someone like him, a risk that could cause the death of innocents. He wasn't the kind of man to play risks at the expense of others.

"Harry." Professor Flitwick walked over to him. By his side was both Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. Harry looked at them confusedly, wondering why they were also headed towards the Headmaster's office.

"Professors?" Harry responded.

"Know what this is about, Potter?" Snape asked as they drew closer. Harry turned to walk with them.

"No, I thought you might?" Harry said.

"Dumbledore and his secrets." Snape muttered. They reached the office and walked up the stairs, the gargoyle already having moved aside for them. They found Dumbledore sitting behind his large desk, his hands folded in front of him and an unusual expression on his face.

"Headmaster?" Professor Flitwick said upon entering the room. The Headmaster looked nervous about something which put Harry on edge. Dumbledore rarely ever looked nervous.

Dumbledore gestured for them to sit, which they did. "I've found another one."

Everyone instantly knew what Dumbledore was talking about. The Great Evil. The scourge of men. The Devil's Gift. Harry had heard the name a hundred different ways. A Horcrux. The very thing that had infested in his mind as a baby. Voldemort had created several at least. They didn't know the amount, that was why Slughorn was within the castle walls. The old potions master would have a good idea of how many horcruxes his most prized student had created.

"Where? When did you discover it?" Snape asked quickly. Harry was never sure if Snape was curious about all things horcruxes from an academic level, or if the Dark Arts enthusiast was looking to enter himself into the game Voldemort played. It was one of the reasons Harry always kept an eye on the man.

Three horcruxes had been destroyed already. Two of them had been dealt with quite easily, but the third, the third proved much more tricky. The ring on Dumbledore's finger was a constant reminder to Harry that even the brightest, most powerful of all, could fall quite easily. When Harry had originally learned the news of Dumbledore's demise at the hands of a simple ring, it felt like his entire world had fallen off a cliff. It was in that moment he knew one day the responsibility that Dumbledore carried would become his. It wasn't until last week that he had fully accepted it.

"Harry and I will leave to retrieve it at once." Dumbledore said, answering neither of the questions that Flitwick proposed. Dumbledore had always been very careful with the information that he provided. It was for good reason. He didn't want what happened to him to happen to others. Only Harry knew the full truths to the horcrux hunt that Dumbledore had been conducting ever since he discovered the horcrux within Harry's lighting shaped scar.

"But Dumbledore-" Professor McGonagall began.

"I am strong enough to travel." Dumbledore said. Harry wasn't so sure. The Headmaster looked older by the day. It had only been a few months since his mistake at the Gaunt's family home. The change in Dumbledore's face over those few months had been quite noticeable to those who knew him well. It was a sad thing to watch.

"And I will have Harry with me." Dumbledore said, giving Harry an encouraging smile. Harry felt a pang of nervousness run through him. He had never been on a mission before, let alone with Dumbledore. Sirius and Remus had occasionally gone off for missions with other members of the Order, but never Harry. He had wanted to go many times before, but he was always deemed 'too important', and so Harry stayed at home.

"Let me go at least." Snape said.

"That is not necessary." Dumbledore said. "Moody and Kingsley will be in reserve if we need their help." It was clear that Dumbledore didn't want them to know the location of this horcrux. All three professors looked to one another, none sure about the idea of Harry and Dumbledore going off alone, but they didn't say anything further.

"Harry." Dumbledore looked to him. Harry stood up from his chair and followed Dumbledore to the floo network.

Dumbledore then turned back to the professors. "Thirty minutes is all it should take, I think." He then grabbed the Gryffindor sword from its place above the fireplace mantle. He tossed it to Harry who grabbed it reflexively. Harry was surprised at how lightweight the famous sword was. He had admired it from afar many times through his childhood, and holding it was completely different from what he imagined. The blade shimmered in the firelight, and he carefully swung it around, getting used to it. A warmth rushed through his body at its touch, as if the blade were accepting him.

"Step into the fireplace and say, 'The Dark Pit.'" Dumbledore said to Harry.

"The Dark Pit? Sounds a bit ominous." Harry mumbled as he dutifully walked over to the fireplace.

"That sounds dangerous, Dumbledore." Professor McGonagall said.

"I agree, though I wish I didn't." Snape added in.

Dumbledore chuckled. "It is of no concern." He then paused and his face grew more grim. "Unless if we aren't back within thirty minutes of course."

Harry laughed at Dumbledore's odd sense of humor as he stepped into the green fire. He knew Dumbledore wouldn't bring him that was immediately dangerous, and so had no problems going through the floo. "The Dark Pit." With a flash of fire, he was pulled by his navel and into time and space itself. In the blink of an eye, his feet hit solid ground. It was a far shorter trip than he imagined it would be.

Harry blinked several times to help his eyes adjust to the lack of light in the large room. He realized he was in a gigantic, expansive hall that stretched on as far as the eye could see. Everywhere there were scattered books and broken furniture. Lying all about were odd items, from clothing to money, trinkets to quidditch gear. He bent down and picked up a pink lacy bra that was laying on the ground, wondering how this got here.

Dumbledore came out of the fireplace, startling Harry. He quickly tossed aside the bra and looked on like nothing had happened. Dumbledore didn't bother with what he'd seen and simply walked passed Harry. "What is this place?" Harry asked. "Where are we?"

"Hogwarts. Though I am unsure if it actually is Hogwarts." Dumbledore said, a frown on his face.

Harry looked around in confusion. He didn't know there was a room this large in Hogwarts. "What?" Harry asked in a disbelieving tone.

"It's called the Room of Requirement. An interesting thing that I only found by accident while wishing for some socks." Dumbledore said. He began to walk into the maze that had been formed by stacked items and random objects. "I believe that anything lost within the halls of Hogwarts finds its way here."

"How?" Harry asked further. He stepped over a fallen statue of an old wizard Harry didn't recognize. Everywhere he looked were wondrous things he wanted to touch, but a fear in him kept him from doing so.

"Even I do not know everything." Dumbledore said.

"And you found the horcrux here?" Harry continued. For some reason, he didn't like the idea of quiet in a place like this. As he walked through the maze, it felt like a dozen eyes were on him, watching silently from the shadows. The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and out of reflex he pulled his wand.

"Found? No dear boy." Dumbledore chuckled. "I was told it was here. Finding it is another matter."

"Told? And how do you expect to find this thing in thirty minutes? We could be here for years and never find it with how large this place is." Harry grumbled. He then paused for a moment. "What does it even look like?"

"Rowena's Diadem." Dumbledore answered him. He wasn't bothering to look at anything around him as he walked through the mess of random objects. Occasionally he would toss something out of his walking path, or pick up his flowing cloak so that it didn't get caught on anything. Dumbledore seemed to know exactly where he was going, and Harry followed.

Harry fell silent as he let his questions go. It was clear Dumbledore wasn't in much of a mood to answer him thoroughly as he usually did. So, Harry watched his surroundings. The deeper they walked into the room, the more on edge he became. For the last several minutes he had begun to feel a cold chill wash over him. He wondered why this place was so cold, until Dumbledore suddenly stopped.

Harry watched as the Headmaster slowly walked over to a broken bookshelf that was crushed in between two large statues, one a gargoyle, the other a goblin. Harry looked at them. The goblin was crowned as if a king. He held a spear in one hand and a large round shield in the other. The gargoyle on the other side of him was hunched over with a pot of coins at his feet. Both its hands were rummaging through the pot greedily.

"Do you feel it?" Dumbledore asked Harry, breaking a loud silence he hadn't known existed until now.

"The coldness?" Harry asked, unsure of what Dumbledore was referring to.

Dumbledore nodded, "There is more though. Listen, feel it."

Harry fell quiet again. He looked to the bookshelf where Dumbledore was staring. Tattered books and broken trinkets littered its shelves, which made Harry even more confused why they had stopped here. Then his eyes caught something shimmering beneath a few dusted pages of a ripped book. He edged closer to the bookshelf to get a better look.

He could see the diadem, the silver metal glimmering in an unknown light. It was beautiful to behold and besides the sword which Harry still held firmly in his grasp, it was the only item from the Founders he had ever seen. But as Harry looked further, he felt nothing out of the ordinary, just the coldness of the room.

Harry stepped back and shook his head. "I just feel cold."

Dumbledore frowned at him. "Nothing?" Harry shook his head again in answer. Dumbledore fell silent as he looked back to the diadem. He was thinking about something, Harry could tell that much. Eventually, Dumbledore spoke again. "Alright. Grab it and we'll be on our way."

"What? Shouldn't I destroy it with this?" Harry held the sword up in his hand.

"Humor me." Dumbledore said. "Touch it."

Harry opened his mouth and closed it several times, trying to find words of protest, but nothing came to mind. He tightened his jaw and walked closer to the bookshelf. He then turned back around abruptly. "Really?"

"It won't harm you." Dumbledore said.

"Because that ring sure didn't harm you." Harry mumbled as he turned back around to the bookshelf. Harry reached out with a shaky hand, and with one last breath, he put his fingers onto the cold metal of the diadem. Nothing happened. Harry let out his breath. He grasped the diadem completely and stepped back from the bookshelf.

"Still nothing?" Dumbledore asked him.

"No. What am I supposed to be feeling?" Harry asked.

"Something." Dumbledore responded.

"Oh. That's really-"

"Let's go." Dumbledore cut him off. Harry turned the Diadem over several times, inspecting the item. It just seemed like a normal diadem to him. There was nothing unusual about it and Harry began to wonder if this even was a horcrux. When he looked up, Dumbledore was gone.

Panic rushed through him. The last thing he wanted to have happen was get lost in this maze and die of stupidity. Harry jogged after where he had seen Dumbledore leave and was relieved to find him walking at a brisk pace. He was mumbling to himself, something the old Headmaster did when he was worried or annoyed. Harry had an idea it was more worry than annoyance which in turn made him worried.

They made their way back through the maze again. Instead of coming across a fireplace however, they came to a door. Dumbledore quickly walked through it, leaving Harry to jog in after him. When Harry stepped out of the room, he recognized that they were on the seventh floor. There was an ugly portrait of trolls being made to dance nearby. Harry turned to look at the door but found it had already vanished, only bare wall was in its place.

"The Room of Requirement. Why is it called that?" Harry asked. Dumbledore had already begun walking quickly down the staircase. Thankfully it was late at night and no students were walking around. It would be an odd sight to see Harry walking with a sword in one hand, and what was basically a tiara in the other.

"The room can become anything the mind wishes it to be. There are a few rules, but I don't care to explain them all right now." Dumbledore was in a foul mood, though Harry wasn't sure why. Maybe he did something wrong? It was very rare for Dumbledore to show this level of annoyance, an emotion he only ever showed in front of Harry. He kept quiet and followed Dumbledore back to the Headmaster's Office.

They walked into the office, surprising the three professors who had stayed put in their chairs. Only Snape was on his feet, pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. Fawkes chirped happily at their return.

"Did you get it?" Snape quickly asked.

"No, I don't thin-" Harry began.

"We did." Dumbledore cut him off for the second time.

"We did?" Harry asked. He looked back to the horcrux. If this was a horcrux, why couldn't he feel anything coming off of it. Horcruxes were supposed to be extremely dark magic, yet he couldn't tell at all. A normal wizard would be able to sense such darkness emanating from an object, even if they didn't understand what the object was.

"Place it on the table, Harry." Dumbledore looked at him, a frown still marring his face.

"Sure." Harry said. He tossed the diadem onto the table, the metal making a hollow clinking noise.

"Is that?" Flitwick couldn't finish his words being too amazed at the object before him.

"I don't believe it. The lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw." Professor McGonagall breathed out.

"He used that? How did Riddle even find it?" Snape asked. He moved closer to the desk to inspect the diadem. By the way everyone else in the room shuddered at the first sight of the thing, the horcrux was probably the real. But why couldn't he feel anything out of the ordinary?

"Those questions can be answered later. Harry?" Dumbledore looked to him, gesturing with his hand to use the sword. Harry gripped the handle firmly in his grasp and walked towards the diadem.

"But that will destroy it, Dumbledore." Flitwick exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Filious. But it has already been destroyed." Harry continued. He raised the sword above his head, ready to swing it down. With one quick motion, he brought the sword down and broke into the diadem with ease. The object smashed in two and out from it came a black mist that swirled above everyone's heads. They were all forced to cover their ears as a high-pitched wail came from the mist. Slowly, the noise and the mist dissipated and the room returned to normal.

Harry adjusted his jaw around, trying to help ease his ears of the pain. He looked at Dumbledore who had a large smile on his face. The annoyed demeanor of earlier had vanished entirely. It must have been the horcrux that caused him to act that way Harry figured.

"That makes four of them, right?" Professor McGonagall asked. She stood up from her chair and moved to the desk to better investigate the remains of the diadem. It had been cleanly split in two, and now looked rusted and cracked. The magic of the horcrux had made the thing more beautiful than it really was. Flitwick was looking at it in horror, as if the holy grail itself had been destroyed.

"Yes, that was the fourth that we know of." Dumbledore said. "You did well, Harry. I am sorry for earlier."

"Why couldn't I feel the effects of the Horcrux?" Harry asked.

"When I removed the Horcrux from your head Harry, I couldn't remove every bit of dark magic that lingered there." Dumbledore said. "I didn't know for sure until now. I am very sorry that my work wasn't as good as I had hoped." Harry then remembered the sorting hat's words. _I see the darkness that once festered in your mind. I can see it still, a piece of it impossible to fully destroy._

"What does it mean, me still having the remnants of a Horcrux inside my head?" Harry asked. The entire room had grown quiet, wanting to know the answer to that as well.

Dumbledore shook his head and he looked at Harry with a deep sadness. "I don't know. Only time will tell." Harry felt his heart sink. It was never a good thing when Dumbledore didn't know an answer, and deep down, Harry didn't think having a piece of this dark magic still in him was a good thing. Clearly it was affecting him if he couldn't feel the Horcrux. The thought made a current of panic run through him, but he did his best to repress it.

Dumbledore walked to him and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "You are strong, Harry. The magic inside of you does not dictate your character, I genuinely believe it. Do not fret." Harry looked into the Headmaster's sparkling blue eyes and felt relief. He was right, as usual. Harry had lived his entire life so far with that bit of magic in him and never once did he feel any urges towards the darker sides of magic. Knowing for sure that it was there just made him more adamant about never using the dark arts.

"Any ideas for the fifth?" Harry asked, looking around. No one, not even Dumbledore, showed any answer on their face.


End file.
